AP Biology Exam

AP Biology Exam:Information and Strategies

Don’t be afraid, grasshopper!

The Big Ideas While it has not been explicitly stated, it is

reasonable to conclude that each of the four Big Ideas will be approximately equally represented in the exam. 1. Evolution 2. Cellular Processes 3. Information Transfer (genetics, cell

communication) 4. Interactions (ecology, biochemistry, enzymes)

Scoring Part I and Part II are each worth 50% of your composite

score. Exact cut-offs vary by year. This was last year’s breakdown.

79% or above = 5 65% = 4 45% = 3 26% = 2 Below 26% = 1

AP Exam - Strategies (Part I) Part I: 63 multiple choice and 6 “grid-in” numeric

response questions in 90 minutes That’s about 1 min per MC, 2 mins per grid-in If the last two years hold true, around 6 MC and 1

grid-in will be “fakes” but unidentified. Your review test will not have “fakes”

MC and grid-ins can be completed in any order. You can freely flip back and forth between them, just NOT to the essays.

AP Exam - Strategies (Part I) Time is your enemy. Strategies are

centered around optimizing your use of your time.

AP Exam Strategies

3. Strategy #1: Read the last sentence of a question stem first. It usually contains the actual question. The whole paragraph beforehand may

not even be necessary! Knowing the question helps you sort out

the contents of the background more efficiently.

AP Exam Strategies

Likewise, when the stem is lab data, read the (first) question before looking at the data set.

AP Exam Strategies

Strategy #2: Complete the short questions first Not just “short” = “not many words” “Short” includes…

AP Exam Strategies

Your strong topics

If you’re great at inheritance, and you spot “In the F1 generation…” that will probably be a faster question for you.

If you really struggle with molecular genetics and you see a diagram of DNA labeled 5’ -> 3’, come back later.

AP Exam Strategies But, this does pose a potential problem.

BE SOOOOOOOO CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR LINES Skipping questions makes you more likely to bubble

in the wrong lines! When you work from your practice books at home,

practice saying in your head “Number 16 is B,” “Number 37 is A,” as you go to note your answers.

In other tests these two weeks, practice doing that!

AP Exam Strategies

Strategy #3: wear a watch. Allotting about 2 minutes to each grid-in,

and 5 minutes at the end for a check, that leaves 73 minutes for 63 questions, or about 1 minute per question. If a question takes you 2 minutes, stop.

Mark X, ?, etc., and just stop, come back if you can.

AP Exam Strategies

How long is a minute? Two minutes? Close your eyes…

AP Exam Strategies

Strategy #4: Cover up the answer choices as you read the stem. Anticipate the answer in your head. When you uncover them, if you spot the

answer, circle it and go, you don’t have time to examine it from every angle!

AP Exam Strategies

Strategy #5: If two answer responses are mutually exclusive, one of them is usually right.

Ex: A. Some plants are blipblips. B. No animals are blipblips. C. Some animals are blipblips. D. No protists are blipblips.

Logically, it’s probably going to be B or C.

AP Exam Strategies

Strategy #6: If you can’t decide, go with the answer that doesn’t use “always” or “never” “Most commonly,” “likely,” “typically” etc.

that leave open room for exceptions are more likely. Biology has a lot of exceptions…

AP Exam Strategies

Strategy #7: “None of the above” is wrong more often than not. The same cannot be said for “All of the above.”

AP Exam Strategies There is NO PENALTY FOR A WRONG

ANSWER. Therefore:

Strategy #8: Mark on a convenient spot the time that will be 5 minutes before end of session. Stop then and FILL EVERYTHING IN Flip rapidly back through your book: anywhere you

narrowed down your responses to 2-3 options, pick one at random, NO MORE READING

Anywhere you didn’t whittle it down, pick a bubble at random (B or C are good choices)

AP Strategies

Strategy #9: Do the grid-in math questions first, even though they are listed last. I put them first on every test to encourage this habit! If you run out of time and you have to guess on a math

question, you are almost guaranteed to be wrong. Not so on multiple choice.

Strategy #10: Your equations sheet will be provided as part of the booklet. You will need to flip back and forth to see it. But not every question needs it so only take that time if you have to. Ex:

AP Strategies

“If predators ingest 8 g/km2 of carbon from their prey, and 2 g/km2 of carbon is transferred from predators to decomposers, what volume of carbon is released as waste or as a consequence of predators’ metabolism?” See? Straight-up logic (knowing that carbon, as

with any matter, cannot be destroyed) and basic subtraction, no equation needed.

AP Exam - Strategies (FRQ)

8 “essay” questions 2 long-form: 22 mins each

i.e. your weekend essays

6 short-form: 6 mins each i.e. 1-2 parts of your weekend essays

Mandatory no-writing-allowed 10-minute reading period (read questions, plan answers) before 80-minute writing session

AP Exam - Strategies (FRQ) First things first:

1. YES, you ABSOLUTELY MUST label a, b, c, d, etc. If you do not, the grader is supposed to assume that it is all part a.

2. Most of you, on weekend essays, have kicked the habit of topic and concluding sentences. If you haven’t, KICK IT. NO TIME, BRO, NO TIME.

AGAIN, NO TOPIC SENTENCES. NO CONCLUDING SENTENCES. NONE. ZERO. ZED.

AP Exam - Strategies (FRQ) 3. Read through the question twice. You have a

reading period; use it well. You do not want to have to erase or cross out work once

you start.

4. Answer all parts of the question asked, and only the question asked. (“secret bonus points” are as uncommon on their rubrics as they were on mine, don’t count on them, you don’t have time)

5. If they ask for three examples, DO NOT GIVE FOUR. They will only count the first three anyways, #4 is a complete waste.


6. Underline important terms in the question as needed. Outline/concept map your answer to make the writing go faster and easier.

7. Diagrams, properly labeled, can earn points, but be sure to refer to them/include them in your answer unless the question specified that it only wanted that. In those cases, they usually provide you with special

diagram space. No such space = write that bad boy out! 8. No stories, no poems, no parables, no analogies,

no getting cute. >:| State the answer and go.

AP Exam - Strategies (FRQ) 9. No points are subtracted for incorrect information, as

per the rubrics. Points are either 0 or 1, never -1. However, if you contradict yourself, you will get 0 points. Don’t

play darts. 10. Spelling, grammar, handwriting don’t count.

Only exception being if it prevents the grader from being able to read and understand. If they can’t read it on their very first try, you get no points.

They’re human, they lose concentration or patience, and they’re only given about 3 minutes to score your essay. If they have to spend their three minutes just deciphering your writing, no points.

Hey look, a life lesson: make it easy for the people in charge of something you want and you are more likely to get it!


11. If you don’t know the answer, don’t panic. Be calm and think. What unit is it from? Can you say anything about the topic generally? Even define the key terms the question is about, if nothing else. If you can even get 1 or 2 points out of the 10, it’s a worthwhile use of five minutes.

The average score on the long ones was ~3.6/10 in past years. To get a 5 on the exam, you’re aiming for a score of ~8 or better.


12. If the question asks you to produce a graph, don’t forget to provide even increments, label axes, include units, key. Also, title. Title doesn’t have to be long and involved, unlike a proper lab report, but it also shouldn’t be “Bean Graph” or “My Data.” Most of the points for the graph will probably come from just set-up!


13. Briefly define key terms, even just a few words. “DNA replication, the process in which DNA is copied…” could easily garner an extra point over just “DNA replication…” and for only the cost of a few seconds!


14. If you can’t remember a word, take a shot at it, get as close as you can and you may be fine due to the “no misspelling penalty.” If you can’t recall the name of a concept, describe/define it as though nothing’s amiss! “Hmm, it was something something equilibrium… aw, toast

it. ‘Allele frequencies remain stable when there is no migration…’”

15. Pay attention to bolded terms (compare, describe, define, list, etc.). Take some time at home to check out that sheet of bolded terms you got earlier in the year!

AP Exam - Strategies (FRQ) “Should I give examples? How much support should I give?”

Average student score on essays: 3.6/10 If you get even 6/10, you’ve beat the curve. Reach for the low-hanging fruit. As you’ve seen on rubrics, unless an example is specifically requested,

they’re not worth more than an extra point or two and are often worth none. Explaining often worth an extra point. Being RIGHT is where you can get the most points the fastest.

So: Explain or give an example if it tells you to, for sure. Otherwise, examples only if you have spare time/you know you’ve got this question locked up. If you’re on unsure footing, save the time for a different question on which you’re having more success.

AP Exam - General Strategies

1. Make a plan with friends taking the class to talk positively to each other before going in there. Talk positively to yourself, too! But know that some jitters are normal, it doesn’t

mean you’re unprepared if you’re nervous.

2. Once you’re in the test, don’t panic. It’s designed to be hard. If you struggle, it doesn’t mean you’re doomed or in over your head. Keep working.


3. Eat a decent, healthy dinner the night before. Stay hydrated. Eat a decent, healthy breakfast the morning of. (Why DOES the brain need a nice amount of glucose from the bloodstream?) But don’t eat a sugary breakfast; your blood glucose will plummet right when you are due to begin the test!

If you don’t have access to one at home, come here, there’s breakfast at school. If your family doesn’t have the money for breakfast at

school and you don’t have access to breakfast at home, see me in private.


4. Tweet that it’s the AP exam tomorrow and you are out of contact until it’s done, then turn off your phone. Keep it under your pillow if you must, but turn it off. Your friends list will forgive you for not answering texts for one night.

At least 7 hours of sleep. YOU HEARD ME.

AP Exam - General And, of course…

Be there at 7:30 Bring 2 sharpened pencils AND 2 black ballpoint

pens, both will be required Bring photo ID Bring watch Bring simple calculator

Buy your own! If you forget it, come see me 7:10-7:20 and trade your phone for one.

Bring snack/water for the 10 minute break

Documents

AP Biology Exam